An icy night robbed the fruit growers of their night’s sleep. Losses are expected for apricots, cherries, apples and plums. And the fear of further damage continues until Holy Saturday.
It’s been exactly two years since we stood for an on-site inspection at Adi Schmidt’s hectare plant in Buchberg near Ilz – and Wednesday was like déjà vu: even then you could see Schmidt’s exhaustion after being awake and by working icy nights. “It’s annoying,” admits the boss of the well-known “Kirschengut”: “The farm has been owned by our family for 30 years, for 20 years we had no frost problem at all – and it hasn’t come to an end for ten years. “
Eight of them battled again on Wednesday evening against the icy cold that destroys the delicate blossoms and buds. Equipped with wind machines that blow the warmer air from above to expel the icy air near the ground. With paraffin candles up to 400 per hectare! And with heaters.
“You only see the size”
Because after the devastating frost year of 2016, which left the Schmidts with barely an apricot or cherry left, the East Styrian had vowed: “That will never happen to us again!” But the magnitude remains to be seen and it is certainly not a total loss at this point.” Of course, frost is predicted for Thursday night again. It can go on like this until Saturday.
“What is brown instead of green is broken”
When it comes to hail insurance, you have a lot to deal with: “There are constant reports of damage,” said spokesman Mario Winkler. He doesn’t want to take stock until the danger has passed – “that wouldn’t be serious”. But the fact is: “Anything that is brown instead of green is broken. irreparable.”
Like two out of three fruit growers, the Schmidt family is adequately insured. But Adi would rather have a good harvest: “We are farmers with heart and soul, we want to harvest! And our customers can make a good offer. That is our goal.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
